557. Concerning Ohr Hozer [reflected light]
It is written in The Study of the Ten Sefirot (Part 2, Chapter 1, Item 3) that Ohr Hozer ascending from the Masach [screen] upward is called “connection” because it holds and captures the upper light in the Igul [circle] in a way that where the Ohr Hozer does not clothe the upper light, that light is regarded as nonexistent from the perspective of the emanated being because he cannot attain it without this attire called Ohr Hozer.
By this we should understand why not everyone has the sensation of Godliness, since it is written, “I fill the heaven and the earth,” and “The whole earth is full of His glory,” and yet we do not feel anything.
The answer is that where there is no clothing called Ohr Hozer, the upper light is regarded as nonexistent from the perspective of the emanated being, and because the whole meaning of the Ohr Hozer is that he receives only according to the intention to bestow, as long as one has not emerged from self-reception, he does not have this Ohr Hozer. Thus, although “The whole earth is full of His glory,” it is regarded as nonexistent from the perspective of the lower one.
It follows that the only thing that one must do in order to achieve the goal is to focus all of one’s work on one point: to be able to dedicate all of one’s free time for the sake of the Creator. This is the meaning of “Everything is in the hand of heaven but the fear of heaven.” This means that the Creator gives everything. The upper lights are already prepared for a person, as in “More than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to nurse,” and all we need is a Kli [vessel]. After the Tzimtzum [restriction], this Kli is called Masach and Ohr Hozer, and this is what connects the upper with the lower. That is, through it, the lower one connects to the upper one.
When this connector does not exist, the lower one cannot see the upper one, and the upper one is regarded as nonexistent from the perspective of the lower one. Hence, to the extent that one begins to work for the sake of the Creator, to that extent he acquires connection with the upper light. And by the measure of his connection, so is the measure of his attainment.
We should understand the matter of AHP of the upper one that fell to Galgalta ve Eynaim [GE] of the lower one. We should interpret that GE and AHP reflect Katnut [smallness/infancy] and Gadlut [greatness/adulthood]. The correction that Hochma and Bina did for the sake of the sons, for which they are called Abba [father] and Ima [mother], as explained in several places in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, is as in “An exiled disciple, his teacher is exiled with him.”
Therefore, when the lower one sees no Gadlut in the upper one, the lower one does not even have Katnut. This is the meaning of the AHP of the upper one, meaning Gadlut of the upper one, being placed in the Katnut of the lower one. At that time, it means that the lower one still does not have Katnut.
Only when the lower one sees that the AHP of the upper one have risen, through it, the lower one receives Katnut. But prior to this, he does not even have Katnut.
It therefore follows that the lower one must first believe that there is an upper one in reality, and that he does not feel the upper one because the lower one does not see the greatness of the upper one. This is called “Shechina [Divinity] in exile,” meaning that the Shechina is for him as dust; he does not feel that there is more than the taste of dust in the upper one.
Hence, when one begins to observe the greatness of the upper one, which is considered that the AHP of the upper one have ascended, the lower one also ascends and begins to attain the feeling of Godliness.
This depends on the measure that it pains him that he sees the faults of the upper one. Thus, to that extent, the upper one becomes ascended in him. It follows that this is a correction for the purpose of the lower one.